Embossed plate heat exchanger



Jan. 2, 1951 F. G. CORNELL, JR

EMBOSSED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER Filed March 4, 1948"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVEN TOR. fTQ/TZ 6 (be/v54; /e.

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 EMBOSSED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER Fritz G. Cornell,Jr., Mountain Lakes, N. J assignor, by mesne assignments, toChester-Jensen Company, Chester, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication March 4, 1948, Serial No. 12,960

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to heat exchange units and more especially to aunit for use with an evaporative refrigerant to cool liquids such asmilk, beer and the like. A unit of this type is disclosed in CornellPatent No. 2,120,797.

An object of this invention is to increase the efi'iciency and improvethe operation of a heat exchange unit of the type covered by saidCornell Patent 2,120,797 when used with an evaporative refrigerant,such, for example, as ammonia.

vIn the construction shown in Cornell Patent 2,120,797, the verticalpassageways allow the developing gases to pass within a minimum lengthof travel to the outlet, thus preventing the refrigerating liquid in thebody of the unit being displaced by gas. It was not anticipated in thesaid patent that the gas be used as the refrigerant. I have, however,discovered that by introducing expanded gas from the liquid refrigerantinto the unit at the point furthest away from the outlet thereof, andpreventing short circuiting'of the gas between the inlet and the outlet,2. high degree of heat absorption can be made available I throughout theentire surface of the unit, utilizing the expanded gas as a refrigerant.But I so construct the unit that the expanded gas refrigerant, afterhaving absorbed heat to its maximum capacity, passes directly to thepoint of outlet.

This permits the remaining gas that has not been heated to the sameextent, to act as a cooling medium without hinderance from the hot gas.The unit, as improved by me, may also be used with a liquid refrigerant.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following specification and accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one from of cooling unit embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The cooling unit In comprises two vertically arranged metal plates llwelded together along their top, bottom and vertical edges. Each plate,as shown, is offset adjacent one vertical edge to form a verticalchannel l3 extending between the top and bottom edges of the plates atthe right hand end thereof, but not at the other end. Each plate also isprovided with a plurality of horizontal channels I4 extending to thevertical channel i3. This may be achieved by providing each plate withoffsets mutually oo- 2 operating to define the channels. The unit issuitably constructed to provide communication between adjacent pairs ofchannels l4 except the lowermost along their full lengths. This may beachieved by interposing vertical bars 15 between the two plates II withtheir upper ends terminating in the top horizontal channel l4 and theirlower ends terminating in the next to the bottom horizontal channel It,these bars being uniformly spaced horizontally and being welded to theplates between the successive horizontal channels. Between the next tothe bottom horizontal channel and the bottom horizontal channel theplates engage and are linewelded together. An inlet pipe i6 is providedfor the cooling unit iii in general alignment with the bottom supplychannel and a gas outlet pipe I1 is provided in general alignment withthe channel furthest away from the inlet pipe l6,

. said inlet and outletpipes being arranged at the same side of theunit. The bottom horizontal channel is sealed off from communicationwith the intercommunicating channels above except at its dischargepoint, which is at a position furthest away from the gas outlet H. Thetwo pipes l6 and I! are formed with elbows, the ends of which may, ifdesired, be swivelled in stufling boxes I9 having supply and dischargeconnectors 2!! and 2!. A horizontal pipe 22 is supported directly abovethe unit it and is provided with downwardly directed apertures 23. Belowthe unit i ii is arranged a trough 24 having an outlet 25.

Liquid refrigerant, for example, ammonia, is introduced through theinlet I6 and vaporized refrigerant is withdrawn through the pipe l1 andthe connection 2|. The liquid refrigerant is conducted by the bottomhorizontal channel I4 to the right hand bottom corner of the unit fromwhence it is discharged into the right hand end of the next to thebottom horizontal channel. From there, the refrigerant is distributeduniformly throughout the remainder of the unit, the bars l5 providing aseries of vertical channels through which the vaporized refrigerant mayescape directly from one horizontal channel to the next channel and soon until it reaches outlet 11. Milk, beer or other liquid to be cooledis delivered to the top of the unit It through the pipe 22 and aftertraversing the cooling unit is collected in the trough 24 from which itis drawn off through the outlet 25. Where the swivel support for theunit Ill is used, the unit may be swung into and out of aligned relationto pipe route possible upwardly through the channels above it to theoutlet so that the remainder of the refrigerant can efiect an efiicientheat-transfer. This easy and unobstructed escape of the hot gas avoidsback pressure build-up in the gas ,1

which would partly neutralize the pressure head in the refrigerantsupply line. It also prevents the heated gas from acting upon therefrigerant and causing pregasification thereof before the proper time.The compressor suction applied at the outlet of the unit is exerted oversubstantially the full surface of the unit, thus improving uniformity ofheat absorption. The refrigerant is efiectively active throughout theentire unit.

While this application discloses but a single unit, it is contemplatedthat a plurality of' these units may be collectively mounted in anattemperating apparatus of the type illustrated in Cornell Patent No.2,200,355.

While a specific embodiment of the invention is disclosed, variations instructural detail within the scope of the claims is possible and iscontemplated. There is no intention, therefore, of limitation of theexact details shown anddescribed.

I claim:

I.v A heat exchange unit comprising two vertical metal plates joinedtogether at their top, bottom and vertical edges, at least one of saidplates having outwardly ofiset portions defining a plurality ofvertically superposed horizontal channels, vertical bars interposedbetween and. secured to. said plates between channels, said barsterminating at their upper ends in the top horizontal channel and attheir lower ends; in the horizontal channel adjacent the bottomhorizontal' channel: thereby providing direct intercommunication betweenall horizontal channels above the bottom horizontal channel for directgastravel upwardly therethrough, an inlet pipe communicating with oneendof theibottom hori-- zontal channel,- an outlet pipe communicatingwith the corresponding end of the top horizontal channel, and meansincluding said pipes for pivotally supporting said unit for swingingmovement about a vertical axis, said plates being continuouslyinterjoined between the bottom horizontal, channel and the adjacenthorizontal channel except beyond the vertical bar most removed from theends of the channels with which said inlet and outlet pipes communicate,and at least one of said plates having an outwardly offset portiondefining a vertical channel communicating with all of the horizontalchannels.

21A heat exchange unit comprising two vertical metal plates joinedtogether at their top, bottom and vertical edges, at least one of thesaid plates having outwardly offset portions defining a plurality ofhorizontal channels, vertical: bars interposed between and secured tosaid plates between channels, said bars terminating at one of theirouter ends in an outermost horizontal channel at one side of the unitand at their other ends in the horizontal channel next to the outermosthorizontal channel at the opposite side of. the unit, an inlet pipecommunicating with one end of said last-named outermost horizontalchannel, an outlet pipe communicating with the corresponding end of saidfirst-named outermost horizontal channel, and means including said pipesfor pivotally supporting said unit for swinging movement about avertical axis, said plates being continuously interjoined between thefirst outermost horizontal channel and the adjacent horizontal channelexcept beyond the vertical bar most removed from the ends of thechannels with which said inlet and said outlet pipes communicate; and atleast one of said plates having an offset portion defining a verticalchannel communicating with all of the horizontal channels adjacent saidlast-named vertical bar.

FRITZ G. CORNELL, JR.

REFERENCES. CITED lhe following references are of record in the file' ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,791,483 Dalgliesh Feb. 3, 1931'2,085,191 Hastings June 29, 1937 2,120,797 Cornell June 14', 19382,211,514; Newhall Aug. 13', I940

